SPEECH OF SECRETARY TERESITA QUINTOS DELES

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

At the LMP Mindanao Island Cluster Conference
Oxford Hotel, Clark Field, Pampanga
27 October 2014
(Salutations)
Magandang gabi po sa ating lahat.
Unang-una, nagpapasalamat po ako sa inyong imbitasyon sa akin para
dumalo sa pagbubukas ng pagpupulong ng lahat ng mga miyembro ng Liga
ng mga Munisipyo sa buong Isla ng Mindanao.
Isang karangalan po na ako ay makasama upang makapagbahagi sa
inyong pagpaplano at paghahanda upang lalong palakasin ang lokal na
pamamahala sa bawat bayan sa Mindanao, alinsunod sa direksiyon ng
Administrasyong Aquino na magkaroon ng inklusibong pag-unlad at maayos
na pamamahala.
Mahigit apat na taon na mula nang kami ay sumama kay Pangulong
Noynoy Aquino upang isagawa ang Tuwid na Daan na pamamahala para
sa sambayanang Pilipino na nagluklok sa kaniya sa pagiging Pangulo ng
bansa.
It has been more than four years since the President pronounced in a
statement in April 2010 that his administration will resume the quest for
peace with vigor and clarity of purpose that Our quest must not only

focus on ensuring the stability of the state and the security of our nation.
Our ultimate goal must be the safety and well-being of our people
It has been more than four years since we made the commitment to
revive the peace process on the basis of a comprehensive understanding of
the root causes of the conflict, under clear policies that pave the way ahead
and driven by a genuine desire to attain a just and lasting peace.
In the past four years, the Mindanao peace process has been marked
with difficulties after difficulties, challenges after challenges, but also, with
triumphs after triumphs, and the continuing commitment of this
Administration to achieve the goal that it has set. It is this goal that serves
as the platform from which the Bangsamoro rises.
Before I continue, I would like to pause and show you a video that
will show the roadmap on the establishment of the Bangsamoro. I promise
that it is a short one, and will help us imagine in six minutes how the
Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro will be implemented
towards achieving just and lasting peace in Mindanao.
[VIDEO]
As you saw and heard, President Benigno S. Aquino III led the
ceremonial turnover of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law to Congress
through Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano
Belmonte Jr last September 10, at Malacanan.
I am happy to inform you that much has happened since then that
have continued to move the process forward.

At the House of Representatives, the draft basic law was filed last
September 11 as House Bill No. 4994. In the afternoon of the same day that
the bill was turned-over to Congress, an Ad Hoc committee on the
Bangsamoro was constituted with Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro,
a former Dean of the San Sebastian College of Law, as chair, and a total of
seventy-five Representatives as members mainly representing districts in
Mindanao. This committee immediately organized itself to start performing
its task, and on September 24, 2014, the first hearing was conducted. This
was followed by various hearings within the premises of the House of
Representatives, and just last week, the Committee went south to key areas
in Mindanao to conduct public hearings. I believe that some of you were
invited and participated in these consultations. Provincial public hearings
will continue up to December.
In the Senate, the draft basic law was filed as Senate Bill No. 2408.
Thirteen senators, which is more than half of the composition of the Senate
and with four coming from the minority bloc, signed as co-authors of the
priority measure, showing strong multi-partisan support. The bill has been
referred to the committees on local governments, and on peace, unification
and reconciliation, chaired by Senator Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr.
and Senator Teofisto TG Guingona, respectively.
The two Senate committees have likewise undertaken much work in
the performance of their tasks. Following the first public briefing held last
September 23 at the Senate, the assigned committees have also conducted
joint public consultations in Cotabato City and Marawi City. As with the
House of Representatives, the Senate will hold public consultations up to
December.

Surely we can say - the momentum for peace continues to build.

As leaders in your own municipalities, you appreciate the importance
of according all stakeholders the opportunity to be heard and to be
represented in public hearings.
This is what both chambers of Congress will seek to achieve: a fair,
transparent, and sober discussion on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law
anchored on the Constitution, and guided solely by national interest and
our peoples aspirations for genuine peace and progress.
Ang balak po ng ating mga senador at kongresista ay magsagawa ng
public hearings sa Mindanao upang madinig ang opinyon at saloobin ninyo
tungkol sa panukalang ito. Inaasahan namin ang masiglang paglahok ng
ating mga LGUs sa usaping pangkayapaan lalung-lalo na tungkol sa
Bangsamoro Basic Law.
Tunay na marami na po ang mga nangyari, at marami pang
mangyayari. Ang trabaho ay hindi natapos sa pirmahan ng gobyerno at MILF
sa Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro o CAB. Hindi rin po
matatapos ang ating trabaho kapag mapasa ang Bangsamoro Basic Law at
maratipikahan ng ating mga kababayan sa mga lugar na tatanungin kung
sila ay payag sa batas na ito.
Habang sumusulong tayo sa daan ng pagtatatag ng Bangsamoro,
lalong dadami, at magiging mas mahirap ang ating kakaharapin.

Our peace journey has reached this far because so many people cared
enough for it to prosper; and because, given the enormous costs that war
has brought to bear upon the people of Mindanao, we all know that failure
is never an option. We have this unique and precious opportunity to be coauthors of peace in this country. This is why it is important for our local
leaders to be involved in public hearings and dialogues about the
Bangsamoro. We want a law that would stand the test of time, and would
close the gap, bridge the divides, among our people.
Tama na ang giyera, tama na ang karahasan. Kailangang magsamasama ang lahat para itaguyod ang isang mapayapa at maunlad na
kinabukasan para sa ating mga anak, para sa ating mga apo.
The passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law and its successful
ratification through a plebiscite will lead to the first regional elections in
the Bangsamoro in 2016. A ministerial form of government will be put in
place led by a chief minister, under the supervision of the President.
The draft law specifically states that the Bangsamoro is part of the
Philippines and that the Constitution will reign supreme over its
inhabitants. Meanwhile, the normalization process is also underway, and
the panels have caused the formation of an Independent Decommissioning
Body, composed of independent experts from here and abroad which will
aid us in the implementation of the Annex on Normalization under the CAB
particularly with regard the decommissioning process which will ensure
that MILF armed forces and weapons will be put beyond use. The passage
of the Bangsamoro Basic Law will lead to more milestones for peace that
would pave the way for the turn over of arms from the MILF side.

I urge you, as Mayors of your Municipalities, to hold public fora to

help the public get a better understanding of the proposed BBL and get the
public involved in understanding its salient points.
Once the law is passed and ratified in a plebiscite, the ARMM shall be
deemed abolished. In its place, the law provides for the creation of a
Bangsamoro Transition Authority or BTA, the members of which will be
appointed by the President.
The BTA will govern the Bangsamoro until its new leaders are
elected in the 2016 national and local elections.
This political roadmap will be complemented by the normalization
process, which is composed of three main components; namely security,
socioeconomic development, and transitional justice and reconciliation.
Normalization aims to return conflict-affected communities in Mindanao to
a peaceful life wherein people could pursue sustainable livelihoods free
from fear of violence and crime.
The security aspect of normalization includes policing, phased
decommissioning of MILF forces and weapons, redeployment of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines appropriate to the prevailing security situation as
determined by the AFP, and the disbandment of private armed groups.
The socio-economic development programs will be undertaken for
the rehabilitation, reconstruction and development of the Bangsamoro.
These will be instituted to address the needs of former combatants,

internally displaced persons, and poverty-stricken communities.

Transitional justice mechanisms will also be put in place to address
the legitimate grievances of the Bangsamoro people, correct historical
injustices, and address human rights violations with the end in view of
healing the wounds of conflict.
All of these components of the Normalization process will be
overseen by various mechanisms that were created as provided for in the
CAB. These include the Joint Normalization Committee, the Joint Peace and
Security Committee, the Independent Decommissioning Body, the InterAgency Task Force that will handle the transformation of MILF camps, and
the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Committee.
Indeed, we have gained momentum in moving the Bangsamoro peace
process forward.
It has always been the goal of government to lessen--if not
completely eradicate--violence on the ground in which our people are
caught in the crossfires. We stand by our position that the peace table will
always be there for the talks between both parties to proceed, but it must
be with a clear and mutually acceptable agenda and timetable.
We stand now on the brink of a new era of peace and development in
the Bangsamoro, and throughout Mindanao. We stand here ready to close
the door to conflict and enter a world sharing peace, prosperity and
security. What we are witnessing is a country coming together in taking
bold, unprecedented, and, yes--historic steps to define peace in the context

of heritage and cultural identity.

Where conflict once reigned, peace and progress will soon flourish.
Muslims, Christians, and indigenous peoples from all corners of the south
will have jobs to apply for, schools to study in, and opportunities to plant
and raise food for the rest of the country. This can only be possible when
we stand strong and united on the side of genuine peace. We have to stay
the course.
Our collective dream is to wake up to a new Mindanao enjoying an
enduring peace, where people are free to travel to every nook and corner,
where children can be assured of the chance to grow up and grow old, and
lead creative and productive lives.
We are now living that dream under the Presidents tuwid-na-daan
leadership. But the President cannot do this alone he needs your help. We
need your help. Help us explain the Bangsamoro Basic Law to your
constituents and light the torch for peace in your localities.
If we are now rising to the top economically, can you imagine how
high our country can soar once genuine peace is obtained in Mindanao? Let
that be our mission, our legacy, our gift to our people.
As Bangsamoro rises, so will we all as a Filipino people, as a country.
Maraming salamat, at magandang gabi.
Shukran.